Riding on the Bus, Becoming a Champion

 About 11 years ago, I sat quietly in a chair behind the line at my indoor range. It was the beginning of the indoor archery season, and I was out of commission. I was rehabbing my shoulder after having reconstructive shoulder surgery, so I went to the range that evening with my father to catch up with my archery family and share some stories about hunting season. 

  Every year, new people join our league. Some stay but most fall by the wayside and we never see them after a few weeks. They think they are superstars, look at the target and exclaim, "That looks pretty easy." After their first scoring round, they realize they're not that good and the obsession begins. 

  Well that evening, a group of guys pulled into the parking lot and hopped out of a vehicle to try their hand at indoor archery. They would all become some of my closest friends and share some incredible highs and lows with me. We all celebrated each other's victories' and we all consoled each other when a pick- me- up was necessary. We still do the same today. We have all learned a great deal from each other, and I'll never be able to thank these guys enough for encouraging me to get back into archery and pushing me to the next level when I thought I would never be able to shoot a bow again -- or at least be competitive with one. This group of guys is the reason why I've accomplished many of the things I'm the most proud about in archery. They are the Green Mountain Boys and they hop into the big ol brown bus and head to all the events across the region. The driver is none other than George Connors. George has gone out of his way to help everyone with their equipment to be the best shooters they can be. He spends more time trying to make others better than he spends on himself. It's just George's nature. 

  The other members of the team are Chuck Weeden and Todd Sargent. There have been others that have come and gone, but these guys are the core group who have stayed together throughout the journey. A lot of people think Todd and Chuck are brothers, but they are actually brother-in-laws. Todd is always the quietest competitor in the bus, but he does come out with some good ones from time to time. Whenever traveling east in the bus, Todd must always point out the bear in the river. The big bear was fishing in the river one summer day when Chuck spotted it on the fly. He told George to turn around so everyone else could see the black bruin. I'll just leave the story there because it's something that we all laugh about today. We're pretty sure that bear still fishes there regularly, but it must've headed into town and got itself some waders and a fishing pole along the way. It probably get sick of trying to catch the slippery little trout with its hands. 

  It took quite a few years before convincing Todd to head to the Lancaster Classic every winter, but after he got a taste of it, he goes every year. He never complains and he just goes and shoots his bow. I often wish I had his composure on the line. He appears as the most relaxed person out there and never shows any emotion. I commend his ability at keeping it all under the collar. Todd is the kind of guy who would do anything for someone else. He has offered me free Yankee tickets on more than one occasion, and I'm always thankful to take them since I'm a die-hard Yankee fan. I'm currently borrowing his bow case because I lent mine to my father to travel. If I ask Todd for anything, he never bats an eyelash, he just produces. Chuck and George are the same. That's why they always fit so nicely together in the brown bus. 

  Recently, Todd found his way to the top step of the podium in the New Hampshire Bowmen Grand Slam. This series of events has been running for a number of years and consists of three shoots. The first is a 600 round Vegas tournament; the second is a 300 round 5-spot; the third is a 600 round 25-meter shoot. Well, Todd and Chuck found themselves neck and neck going into the last shoot of the series this year. They battled back and forth on every end, with neither of them creating any separation. Then, it came down to the last end to see who would be the Grand Slam Champion in the Bowhunter class and Todd focused and shot three good shots. Those three shots gave him the win, and Chuck finished in a close second. George put the pedal to the floor in the series and crushed the competition in the Silver Senior class. 

  The bus pulled out of the parking lot in Keene, N.H., and headed back to Manchester, Vt. with a load full of podium finishers. I'd like to celebrate the victories of all of my friends. Too often we forget the people who support all of the shoots and never seem to get a lot of recognition. These three guys put a lot into archery for themselves and others. Congratulations Todd on your win. I was glad to see you finally get what we all work for. Great job, buddy, and thanks for everything. It doesn't go unnoticed or unappreciated. Too bad the bear was hibernating and not fishing for you guys to see it on th way home after your victory. 

  

 

Passing Time, Idols, and Giving Back

 

    Pulling into the parking lot, my breathing became shallow and the clammy feeling in my hands made me acutely aware of the nervousness that I hadn’t expected. A few minutes later, with my camouflage bow holding my arrows in the quiver on its side, I walked into the range for my first attempt ever at shooting in an indoor archery league.

  Timidly opening the door and walking inside, I wanted to crawl into the wallpaper and disappear as the door closed behind me. There, in front of me, was archery gear I had never seen in my life. Guys had long poles sticking out of the front of colored bows, and their sights had scopes on them. I felt out of place – lost.

  An older guy who had a moustache pulled me aside and asked my name and wanted to know what I was doing. However, he didn’t seem to have any of the fancy stuff dangling off his bow. I estimated he was probably about 15-20 years older than me. He quickly filled me in on how things worked.

  A few hours later, I was as proud as a peacock as I carried my single-spot target to the truck. I had scored 226 points. Nobody shot a 300 that night, but there were a few guys in the mid to high 290s – the guys with the red, teal, midnight blue, and white bows.

 The guy who helped me when I walked in yelled over to me, “Hope to see you next week.”

  I responded, “I’ll be back.”

  Driving down the driveway that Friday night, I never imagined I would go on to become good friends with that guy who helped me the first night -- and even share many elk hunts with him over the years. His name is Dave Russell. He’s one of the few who never converted to a release aid, and he still uses a finger tab to shoot. He has amassed a long list of awards over the years and has always given back to the sport of archery and is still doing so at 70 years old.

 Dave still at it in his 70s

   I’m thankful there are people like Dave in the archery world, and one of my friends, Braden Gellenthien, sent me a text a few weeks ago that reminded me how crucial it is to give back to the sport that so many of us love. We are all immersed in loosing arrows from our bowstrings, and our passion for the flight of an arrow can only be understood by others whose candles burn the same as ours.

  Do any of us know where the journey will take us after we let our first arrow soar through the air? Some people may never shoot a bow again; others may buy a bow and shoot arrows in their backyards; some might decide they want to hunt with a bow; some might get their families involved; some might enjoy traveling to attend novelty events; some might be drawn into the competitive arena; some may join leagues; some may become top-level amateurs, while others may just head to tournaments for the camaraderie they present; and a few, very few, will go on to become professional or world-class archers, and those archers are the ones who put sparkles in young shooters’ eyes and give them something to strive for. They become heroes to many competitive archers – young and old alike.  

  When I began shooting, I always tried to pass my love of archery on to others and introduce them to the game I spent countless hours on while trying to perfect my craft. Archery was big back then, and we didn’t have to travel far to get to huge events, with the National Archery Festival in New Hampshire drawing a thousand or more archers. I introduced Aron Stevenson to these events, and he became engrossed in the competition and went on to achieve a runner-up finish at the IBO World Championship in Flatwoods, W.V., in the early ‘90s before graduating from high school, entering the U.S. Marine Corps and heading to California.

  When he returned four years later, his love of archery came back with him, and, as I had done at his age, he began passing it on. In his absence, I met the Sullinger family, and Dennis used to bring his two young boys and daughter to the club every Friday night for league. The boys Levi and Cruise quickly took a liking to archery and became quite proficient at it. They would travel to different archery events with their dad and sing a song. I never heard about this until last winter when things came full circle and Levi and Cruise returned to take part in the Friday night league. That’s when they informed me that they used to sing, “We’re gonna beat Todd Mead. We’re gonna beat Todd Mead,” every time they traveled to an archery shoot with their father. Dad would be the lead singer and the boys would contribute backup vocals.

  It made me warm inside when they told me about it last winter, and we all laughed together. As Aron used to help them when they were kids, he began helping them again when they decided to get back into shooting. All the old-timers from the club were glad to see them back at it. We welcomed the long-lost members of our family back into our home.

 Aron and Cruise in the early years       

 Cruise 20 years later

 Aron still at it

      

  Well, last winter I saw a man, his wife and their sons begin participating in competitive archery. After explaining to them that there were some noteworthy events across New England and New York, they began the journey that we’ve all been traveling for many years. They attended many shoots and were lucky enough to take home some hardware. In the process, Aiden, the oldest son, began following some professional archers and started routing for a few of them. In no time, he realized one of the best professional archers on tour lived within an hour of his home range, and Aiden instantly became a Jacob Sluzarz fan.

   Amazingly, I can look back over 20 years ago and see the beginning of Braden Gellenthien’s journey into the pro ranks when Brian Visco and Eric Griggs brought him to the Empire State Plaza. I can also recall the day after the Patriots beat the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game when the roads were atrocious across New England. A group of us headed to Massachusetts to shoot in a weekly MFAA 5-spot round. I shot 59xs that morning, and a young whipper snapper next to me who was shooting a blue Mathews single cam shot 56xs. He wasn’t happy about it either, but he walked off the range and said he was going home to work on things. That young man was Braden Gellenthien.

  Skip ahead a few years and Braden was breaking records and stacking up medals all over the world. Then, he returned to the Albany area to shoot in the annual Guan Ho Ha Vegas tournament, and he was wearing the black and gold jersey, just as the young local phenom was wearing one. After the tournament, Braden teamed up with the young up-and-comer Jacob Slusarz to shoot in the team event. I’m sure nobody knew at the time that Jacob would continue putting the work in and go on to achieve a level of success in his first few years as a professional that many shooters dream about their entire lives.

 Braden and Jacob about 10 years ago

  Anyhow, the year that Jacob and Braden teamed up to win the team event, there was a picture taken of the two of them, and Braden sent me the picture a few weeks ago when a picture surfaced on social media of Aiden with his idol, Jacob. The picture of them was taken in the same exact spot as the picture from 10 years earlier. It’s nice to see the tradition of passing down the passion of archery and giving others something to shoot for. If you shoot for the moon and miss, you’ll still end up in the stars.

  As New Englanders say, “Do your job.”

  It’s up to all of us to be role models for others. It doesn’t matter whether we are average shooters, good shooters, or phenomenal shooters, and it doesn’t matter whether we are club superstars, card-carrying professionals, or just guys who love archery.  I’ve enjoyed seeing both Braden and Jacob make their way through the ranks from being kids nobody knew to becoming professional champions. I’m also happy that we all three of us found our way onto the same team and are currently teammates now. It only takes a second to pose for a picture or ask for a picture. You never know what kind of gold nugget that picture could become in the years that follow. We all have treasure chests and what we chose to put in them will remain with us forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Foley ASA

      We decided early in the winter to head to Foley, Ala., this year and give the ASA a whirl. Although we knew we wouldn’t be able to get any practice in on a 3D, we figured we would go with no expectations and see what happened when the dust settled. 

  I’ve had a rough winter shooting. My shoulders and arms have been aching considerably worse than normal, and there are nights when I can’t sleep due to the pain. However, I’m not smart enough to stop shooting my bow. I guess that’s the problem with loving archery too much. I simply love to shoot my bow. It settles my mind and allows me to go to a calm, peaceful place that most others will never understand. 

  Besides the pain in my shoulders, my indoor scores have been well below average. On the bright side, I’ve been executing great shots, but with more pin float that normal, it has been hard to keep it in a quarter-sized 10-ring. It’s like I have been trying to shoot the star out with the pellet gun at the county fair. 

                                                         The Trip Down and Practice Day

 

  Luckily, we got out of Dodge before the Northeast got hammered with bad weather. As we caught our connector flight in Chicago, we looked at the radar and saw we barely escaped the mess in the Windy City, too. When we finally arrived in Atlanta, we got our rental car and headed to Foley. 

  The next day, we headed to the practice range early and fired some arrows at the practice bags before heading out to shoot our first 3D targets since August. With the snow at home, I decided not to practice judging before we left. There would be no sense in looking at anything that wouldn’t resemble what I would be seeing. 

  When we arrived at the practice 3D range, it was obvious that everyone who brags about the organization and smoothness of ASA shoots doesn’t see the forest through the trees. When you try stacking 2,000 people into two straight lines of targets, there’s no way to avoid problems and huge waiting times.  That’s a discussion for another time, but I’ll be the first to tell you that every organization has its flaws.

  Jacob and I chit-chatted with Braden and Tanja at the start of the practice range for a while as we waited to start. When it was finally time to shoot, Jacob and I opted to shoot by ourselves since we were judging yardage and Braden and Tanja were not. 

  The wind was flat-out howling, making it almost impossible to commit and get off good shots. However, we stuck with it and continued down the path. A short time later, a miserable range official who had a bad attitude started getting short with a lot of people. That’s when two young guys filtered in with us. They were great guys and we learned they were from Utah and were traveling with Kyle Douglas and Tim Gillingham. They were both good shooters and we had an enjoyable time with them.

  After grabbing a bite to eat, we went back to the range before going back to the hotel. We shot a round with our friends Hugo and Dar from Wisconsin. They are good guys, and we enjoy their company. It’s always nice to meet good people, especially people who share the same passion and route you on.

                                                                 Day 1 of Scoring

  Although we planned on getting a few targets in before our official round, the backup on the practice range was unimaginable. The clustered mess on the range was out of control. Although we waited for about a half hour, we finally gave up and strolled down the road to the safety meeting. 

  After wishing Jacob luck and continuing toward my range, I arrived at my stake to see I would be shooting with Darrin Christenberry, Brian LuAllen and Joe Pitt. Instantly, I knew I would have a nice, relaxing day, as all those guys are easy to shoot with, and I’ve shot with all of them in the past. 

  When “Shoot’m up” was heard across the range, I was the first shooter in my group. I had dialed my sight in after being drawn to shoot first, so I was ready to go. When I hit anchor, the pin settled nicely, and I executed a good shot. The arrow struck the foam just outside of the 10-ring above the upper 12. It wasn’t exactly how I wanted to start, but I felt good about executing a good shot. 

  As I plodded my way though the first 10 targets, my shot was a little choppy, but the bow was doing its part and helping me out on less-than-stellar shots. I found myself a few off the pace after 10 and sitting on the leaderboard. 

  All the lanes were freshly cut, and the tunnels created from the cutting made it a challenge to see yardage well. The course was on the long side, and it made it even more difficult since I hadn’t shot a 3D range since last August. 

  After shooting target 15, I felt good about where I stood and saw that I was still on the leaderboard. My shooting had steadied out a little bit, and my shots were strong. With a few targets left, I hit a bump in the road when we finally came upon a close target. I saw it for more than it was. I’m thankful I aimed at the lower 12 on the large deer because my arrow struck the 8-line above the 10-ring. I was probably off on my guess by about five yards. That’s the kind of luck that most people forget to tell you about when they shoot a good-scoring round. I lucked out on that one. 

  I barely missed the 12 on the last two targets of the day, as I played it safe and tried to aim on the lower side of the IBO 11. Unfortunately, both arrows struck the IBO 11, and I missed the 12 by about an inch. I was still satisfied with the day’s work. I got off the course at -1 and found myself sitting in seventh place. I knew I had a good shot going into Day 2, and I felt good about my shooting and yardage estimations. You can’t win on the first day, but you sure can lose. I gave myself a chance. 

 

                                                                      Day 2 

 

  Going into Day 2, I felt confident about my chances. Although I hadn’t judged yardage since last summer, I felt like I saw things well the day before. My shooting felt great at the target butt, and all the arrows hit behind the pin. The shots fired effortlessly, and the pin sat down quickly on every shot. When I got to the range, I saw the target assignments and realized I would be in the second peer group with Tony Tazza, Larry Goza and Randy Duren. I looked forward to shooting with Tony because I hadn’t shot with him since deciding to shoot in the Senior Pro class three years ago. 

  When we began shooting, I started like I did the previous day and shot an arrow out the top of the 10-ing. I was a little miffed when the arrow hit where it did, as I thought I had a good number. As we progressed through the first 10 targets, I began getting aggravated. I racked the 8s up on my card, and by the time we got to the 10^th target of the day, I had seven 8s on my card. Finally, I got pushed over the edge when I shot a no-doubt 50-yard target for 50 yards and broke a perfect shot when the pin was sitting on an arrow in the IBO 11-ring and my arrow landed at 12 o’clock outside the 10-ring. 

  Although I was trying to blame myself for all the 8s, I also knew I was shooting great shots and the pin was sitting down nicely on every target but one. That’s when I reached down to my sight and grabbed the scope housing. The scope wiggled up and down wildly, and I instantly figured out the issue with which I was dealing: the disconnect knob had loosened up and I didn’t have a clue it was loose until it was too late.

  After tightening the knob, I continued through the next 10 targets and called four uppers. I barely missed two and got the other two and shot +4 on the last 10 after shooting -14 on the first 10 before I figured out what was causing the inconsistent high and low misses when I had the same numbers as my peers. 

  My tournament ended on a 50-yard turkey. With a few arrows in the IBO 11, I decided to hold on them and hope for a drop. Unfortunately, the arrow hit the cluster of arrows and landed in the bottom part of the 11 but not far enough to catch a 12. It was a perfectly executed shot, and I was happy to end things on that note. 

  My father also encountered some horrible luck. His rest broke right before his round started, and he had buy a rest and screw it on and do the best he could under the circumstances. He did well and ended up finishing in the top 20, but I'm sure he would've finished better if the issue with the rest didn't pop up. It's no longer Murphy's Law. It's now Mead's Law. 

                                                                      A Few Last Thoughts

 

    I’m honestly not sure how to feel about this tournament. I guess I feel like I have an open cut, and someone is rubbing salt in the wound and refusing to stop because they think it’s entertaining to watch me squirm. Although we didn’t have the ability to practice 3D shooting before heading south, I felt confident about my chances. I’m not sure if that was false hope or the ability to trust that judging yardage is like riding a bike, and you never forget how to do it. I knew my equipment was working well, and I knew my bow, Darton Tempest E 3D, could hold up its end of the bargain. 

  I was a little shaky on the first day and could feel a little more adrenaline than normal. I think the rush kept me where I needed to be and allowed me to make good shots throughout the day. Since I chose not to shoot any indoor tournaments with the bow, I didn’t know how it was going to react under pressure, and I found out it worked well. The bow saved me a few times, and I was fortunate for that. 

  Throughout most of the round the second day, I felt like I made great shots, especially during the second half of the round after discovering the issue that was hindering my performance. What did I learn from the entire ordeal? I learned that it wasn’t my equipment’s fault. Instead, it was my fault for not checking things that need to be checked regularly. I could’ve cut the problem off at the pass had I recognized it earlier. It’s hard telling where I would have ended up, but I know I would have had a much clearer mind while shooting, and I know that tends to relax me. I ended up in 14^th place, nine points out of the shootdown round.

  Over the last few years, I’ve been trying to teach myself how to play the ASA game again. Although I did a fair amount of it back in the day, it’s relatively new to me again. I feel like I’ve gained ground every time I’ve played. I’m thinking it will all come together before the end of the year. I do enjoy the IBO style of tournament a little bit better, but that’s the style in which I was brought up shooting. I like shooting in different terrain, and I like the walk through the woods in anticipation of the next target. 

  We spotted a bus for George Connors to get and drive us around. These guys had it going on. It’s the Darton bus – or at least that’s what Jacob and I called it. Check out the sticker in the back window. If I could’ve found the keys, I would’ve driven Jacob over to the Foley Event Center to shoot in the Shootdown round. We could’ve gone in style and hopped out of the Darton bus and gotten back into it with the Happy Gilmore checks.

  It’s always a pleasure to watch him shoot and to travel with him. It’s also nice to watch all the work paying off. I’ve spent a lot of time in his range this winter while he has helped me iron out some things with the new equipment, and I’m thankful for the guidance. Hopefully, we will both get into a shootdown round or two this year like we have in the past. There’s nothing better than getting support from our region. I know I fully welcome all of it and am thankful for all your comments and messages.   

  I’m looking forward to breaking the bad luck curse that seems to have taken hold again. It once held on to me for many years before I broke free from it. I’m thinking I will do the same thing this time. The last three events have presented me with things that I’m sure others can’t begin to imagine. I’m flicking the red-faced man off my shoulder before I head to the next one. He is not welcome any longer, and I will not allow him to travel with me. I’m done with happenstance bad luck. 

 

After saying goodbye to my peers and friends at the IBO World Championship in August, I headed home and began gnawing at my fingernails. With my contract with PSE expiring at the end of the year, the next month brought a good mixture of highs and lows as I awaited phone calls from a few different bow companies. Although I was hoping to get an offer from someone, I know the reality of the archery industry and realized I might be left on the outside looking in. If it came to that, I would be OK with it, as there are only so many positions that can be filled every year by each company.

  In the end, I had a few offers, but I chose to take the offer from Randy Kitts, the owner of Darton Archery, and join the Darton team. Now, I’ll share with you what led me to pursue a place on Darton’s factory team and what ultimately led to me making the decision. 

The Early '90s

 My newfound success in indoor and 3D archery quickly came to a screeching halt. I couldn’t get the pin on the target, and everyone I consulted about the issue had no idea what I was talking about. The frustration grew and became an unmovable obstacle that almost made me quit archery and go back to fishing. 

  Then, I made my way to the other side of town to visit with the man who knew the most about competitive archery in my area, Ed DuFour. Ed owned a shop called DuFour’s Archery, and his children were excellent shooters. Ed was my last chance. If he didn’t know what was going on, nobody would know.

  When I opened the door, Ed was sitting behind the counter on an old wooden stool. The bows hanging on the rack mixed in with all the other stuff in the shop. As I began discussing my issues with Ed, he placed his thumb under his chin as his index finger settled on the top of his lip. Peering through the thick, dark-rimmed glasses, he shriveled his nose, snickered, and pulled the drawer out in front of him. 

  Metallic items clanked against each other as he used both hands to separate the stuff in the drawer. Then, he found what he was looking for, grabbed it and threw it over the counter to me. 

  “Try this, kid. Figure out how to shoot it and you’ll never have another problem,” he said with a devilish grin. 

  Looking at it, I had no idea where to start. I had never shot with a handheld release, and I had no idea how it worked because it didn’t have a trigger. How in the world was I going to figure this thing out? I spun it around on my middle finger for the next 20 minutes on my way home. The work would start the next day.

  Over the next seven months, I did everything I could to figure it out. My buddy Dave Russell, a phenomenal finger shooter, was by my side throughout the ordeal. He had to play doctor and put bandages on my neck where the string on the release kept slapping me upon releasing off the sear. Eventually, I figured it out and felt good about where I stood going into indoor winter leagues that season. 

  Before I knew it, spring was rolling in, and I was looking back at the work that had allowed me to become the first person in two local clubs to ever shoot a perfect score every week in league play. Ed DuFour had saved my archery career.

  Moving Forward

    Although I didn’t mention it earlier, Ed was a Darton dealer, and my area was loaded with Darton bows. Although not many of them made it to the indoor leagues, almost every person who hunted owned one, and the camo pattern on them made them easily identifiable. 

  Brett and Lisa, Ed’s kids, shot Darton bows in competition, and they were forces to reckon with, as they would both go on to have successful archery careers at the state, regional and national level before hanging it up. Brett, being the same age as me, always drove me to be better, and he shot Darton bows for most of his shooting career. However, I spent time shooting other brands due to my connection with another local dealer with whom I was very good friends, but that never kept me from wanting to shoot the bows. 

  As time moved along, I began helping a lot of people learn how to shoot a surprise shot. In doing so, I met a kid named Ricky Knott, who later became known as Batman when a bat landed on his back during a target auction at Snowshoe in the early 2000s. Rick shot a Darton Cyclone Express 3D with the CPS cam system on it and told me the bow wouldn’t repeat itself and it was hindering his ability to advance. 

  Although I was shooting a Martin Razor X with straight limbs, which was a few inches longer axle to axle than his bow, I told him to give me his bow. His draw length was the same as mine, and we both shot the same poundage indoors. I told him I would shoot it for a while to see if I could find anything wrong with it, and he could stand behind me and watch. 

  I quickly sighted it in, hung a new Vegas target and began shooting. As one arrow after another landed in the 10-ring, I didn’t want to stop -- so I continued. After completing the round, I peeled the target off the backstop and handed it to him. Not one arrow had left the 10-ring. 

  Raising one eyebrow, I said, “Rick, I think that bow has something wrong with it.”

  “Really,” he questioned.

  Winking, I said, “Yup, the arrows never leave the 10-ring, even when a person makes bad shots.”

  Unfortunately, I was committed to Martin bows, but I wanted to lay them down and shoot Dartons after that incident. The bow simply shot. 

Years Pass Quickly

    That incident happened 20 years ago this winter. I’ve had a lot of bows in my hand during that time, and I was also told by three orthopedic surgeons at one time that I would never shoot a bow again after shoulder surgery. 

  I’ve also had the ability to tinker with Mark Myers’ bows over the years, as he graciously lent them to me to see what I thought. Unfortunately, I borrowed them at a time when I was going through major form changes, so I couldn’t get a solid feel for them, but I did know they felt great in my hand. 

  Shooting with Jacob Slusarz all the time, I’ve been able to see all his Dartons bring out the best in him. I’ve seen him shoot a variety of bows over the last few years, but his confidence has never been as high as it is when he shoots a Darton… and the performances he has put up prove that the bows simply perform, especially in high-pressure situations. I’ve shot his bows, too, and they have always felt good in my hand. Jacob and I have always liked the same bows over the last eight years, and we tend to favor certain types of bows. While we shoot some bows really well, we also find others that don't cooperate with us quite as well. I'm looking forward to this year because the last time Jacob and I shot the same bow during the same year, both of us were able to win the Third Leg of the National Triple Crown and the IBO World Championship in our respective classes. We will both give it our best this year to repeat what happened that year. 

  So going back to last season when I knew my contract with PSE was expiring, I contacted Tyler and Tom Thygesen to see if I could try Tom’s bow to make sure the bows would work well for me… and they did. 

  Then, before hunting season rolled in, I had a few offers on the table and needed to make the best decision for myself. The decision was not difficult at all. I chose to represent Darton Archery and help Randy Kitts grow his brands, including Black Eagle Arrows and Conquest Archery, across New England and New York. The one-on-one personal communication with Randy made me realize relationships in this industry don’t get better than dealing with the owner. Our conversations allowed me to get a good feel for working with him, and we both expressed our thoughts and concerns to each other. I’m excited to go into this coming season with Randy on my side, and I will do my best to grow Darton archery at the local, regional, and national level.

  Although I will not be traveling to any national indoor tournaments this winter, my 3D schedule will remain the same as last year. I will attend ASAs and IBOs, and I will also be shooting at the National Senior Games in Pittsburgh with my dad. I’m excited to be able to participate in the National Senior Games again with Dad. There aren’t too many parents and siblings who ever have that ability, and I’m thankful for the opportunity, God willing.

  While many people have reached out to me, I have reached out to others to begin building the brand, including dealers in New England whom I respect and value in our arena. I’d like to thank all the people who follow me and route for me. You guys have made all this possible. I’d also like to thank the people who route against me. You motivate me to stay sharp and keep grinding after all these years. So, thank you whether you’re a lover or a hater. I need all of you. You all play an integral part in my success… and failures.

  I'd also like to thank PSE for giving me the opportunity to represent their brand as a Factory Professional. I never left anything on the range, as I gave everything I had every time I performed. The bows I used along the way allowed me to make a number of shootdowns and land on the podium a few times over the last few years, and I'm grateful for that. 

  If you’re reading this, and I haven’t contacted you already, please feel free to reach out to me, and I’ll put you in touch with Braden Gellenthien, as he is the regional salesman. Braden and I have begun working on getting Darton in reputable dealerships across New England so others can see what can be done in the woods or on the tournament trail while shooting some of the best bows that are currently being made. I'd love some of my friends in New Hampshire and Maine to reach out if you think you would like to see Darton in your shop. 

  The biggest thing that cannot and should not ever be overlooked is that Jacob Slusarz’s performances have allowed many people to have an opportunity to represent Darton Archery. Without him, the road would not have been nearly as smooth. I’d like to personally thank Jacob for myself and my peers in Senior Pro, Open Pro and Female Pro classes for making Darton a household name in tournament archery and opening the doors for us. Thank you, Jacob. I’d also like to thank Randy Kitts for taking a chance on many of us and trying to build his brand around not just good shooters but great people too. It’s always nice to be surrounded by great people who care about you as a person. I’d encourage any or all of you to give Darton a chance and hop on the train. It’s headed in the right direction, and we would be glad to save you a seat and have you as part of our team as we grow and travel to new heights.

A Few Last Thoughts

    Last night, like so many other nights, my key card unlocked the door. After it unhitched, I slowly pushed it open with my bow case and let the wheels guide me to the range. Nothing but darkness could be seen through the window, and not a sole could be found. There were no people in the meeting room, and no gunfire echoing throughout the building from the pistol range. 

 Before walking into the darkness to turn on the lights, I paused in the doorway, looked up, and whispered, “Thank You.” 

  Looking at the plaque above the door, it’s a gentle reminder of the people who paved the way in my hometown. The range is dedicated to Dick and Rita Sage. Dick taught my Bowhunter Education class when I was 13 years old, and he would give me advice along the way about being an outdoor writer, as he did a lot of outdoor writing for the top-tier bowhunting magazines. I’ll be forever thankful for Dick. Although he wasn’t much of a competitive archer, he was a good friend and a great mentor. Like the people Randy has chosen to represent his company, Dick was an incredible man. 

  Then, I see the names Ed and Linda DuFour. If Ed hadn’t lived in my area, I may have never been introduced to Darton bows or found a way to escape target panic. Ed saved my archery career, and I’ll be forever thankful for that. I do wish that he were still around to see me on the biggest stage with a Darton in hand and barking with – and at -- the other big dogs at the top of the mountain of competitive archery. After all, my entire club used to be full of Dartons, and I can only hope my influence brings the theme from the old days back to the surface. I’m also glad that Ed never showed me how to shoot that 4-finger Stan. Instead, he allowed me to work through it and figure it out on my own. That lesson has helped me immensely in archery – and in life. I’ve learned to never give up and to keep trying new things until I find something that works. That’s how I found my way to Darton. I simply found something that works well. You can do the same. Go to your local dealer and give the bows a try. 

  

Looking Back at My 2022 Season

Now that hunting season has rolled into northern New York, I figured I better get this annual shooting update done before I become engrossed in my other full-time hobby. Although I enjoy competitive archery, it doesn’t light my candle like hunting. There’s something about being in the outdoors and watching animals do their thing that fascinates me. I’ve seen things that I wish others could see, and I’ve experienced things I know I could’ve never imagined. With those thoughts in mind, I’ll walk back in time to when hunting season closed last year, and I picked my bow up to begin getting ready for the indoor season. 

  Going into the indoor season, I got a late start. I usually get going in early December, but a nagging shoulder issue prevented me from doing so. As I gently increased my shooting schedule, I realized my sight picture was not going to cooperate to score well indoors. Although it wasn’t horrible, the pin did not sit in the 10-ring the majority of the time. Instead, I found it wandering around the yellow. I saw these results on the paper and began scoring as well as I was holding. If you can’t consistently hold it in the 10-ring until the shot fires, all the arrows will not find their way to the highest scoring ring. 

  I battled this for the entire winter. I did attempt a few indoor tournaments and the results were not good. I had one decent round the entire winter, and that was at Hall’s Arrow for the New England Indoor Championship when inner-10 scoring was in effect. It wasn’t a stellar round, but it was solid, and my shooting was better than my score. 

  I did break some of my old records along the way. I shot my lowest score ever at the NFAA Indoor State Championship. Although the score was embarrassing, I still handed my card in. Unlike some other people I know, I take the good with the bad and hand the card in. The next day at the State Classic, I had an experience I’d like to forget, but I somehow managed to get through it and shot a 50x round, I think. It wasn’t great for the confidence, but I knew my shot was solid, so I rode that into the outdoor season.

  When the snow faded away and spring rolled in, I was caught in a battle between focusing on the National Senior Games in Florida and the First Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown in West Virginia. I attempted giving each game an ample amount of practice to be competitive at both. 

  After the first day at the National Senior Games, I was satisfied to see that I had withstood the blazing heat and the mercury of the thermometer climbing into the 90s to shoot the highest score of any archer in the tournament.

  The second day didn’t treat me as well. I’d like to blame it on the heat or something else, but I have nothing to blame it on other than my hold. My hold wasn’t as good as it was the first day, and I shot as well as I held. The gusts of wind through the second half of the round didn’t help matters. However, after I fired my last arrow of the tournament, I knew I had broken the longstanding record. Unfortunately, the record lasted about seven minutes, as a guy on my bale beat me. I walked away with the second highest score ever shot, and I can live with that. 

  A few weeks later, I found myself at the First Leg of the National Triple Crown. My bow wasn’t cooperating with me, and I performed the best I could. I walked away with a 7^th place finish. I didn’t feel much more confident going into the second leg, but I pulled off a 6^th place finish and missed the shootdown round by two points… my last shot of the tournament. 

  The next month was a blur with all the traveling. I finished off the year well in the IBO, making the shootdown round in the 3^rd leg and shooting well enough to be in the dance on the final day at the World Championship. Unfortunately, two ricochets kept me out of the shootdown round, but I did make the shots to get in. The ricochet luck hurt badly, but I realize it’s a part of the game, and I can’t change the rules as they’re written. It simply came down to bad luck. 

  I was able to travel to the last three ASAs of the year, and I feel like I made progress in relearning the game that I’ve been away from for so long. In every event, I was near the top of the leaderboard on Day 2. I believe the lack of rest after traveling to get there kept me from performing at my best on Day 1 of the events. I will be better suited and more prepared next year after learning this valuable lesson. I can succeed at the ASA game if I manage both days equally well. 

  As I look ahead to next year, I’m hoping for some of the shoulder and elbow issues to subside in the off-season. It was difficult to shoot this year, and there wasn’t one day where I felt above 80% physically. I approached the season like a surfer riding a wave. I rode the waves to the beach and picked my board up and walked away. I neve gave in, and some of the waves knocked me into the surf this year. I got mixed up in the turbulence below the air pocket and felt like every ounce of sand got rubbed all over my face and into my eyes. I’ll try my best to avoid falling off the board next year.

  I’d like to thank all of the companies and people who supported me this year, including Eric Griggs (GAS Bowstrings), Shrewd Archery, TruBall Archery, PSE, Conquest Archery, and Bohning. If you’re looking to put new strings on your bow for next year’s tournament season, I’d highly recommend looking into the many types that GAS can supply. They’ve never let me down while hunting or on the tournament trail.

  The new tournament season is only a few months away, and I will be headed in a different direction with some of the equipment I’ll be using. Some of my well-respected peers will be my new teammates, and I look forward to what the new year brings for all of us. I hope everyone out there who hunts has a great hunting season, and for those of you who don’t, I hope you continue working on your craft while others are sleeping. 

 

 

  

 

A Look Back at Archers from My Region

  As I look back at the tournament archery season, it simply wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t take a moment to acknowledge many people in my region who made their efforts worth it in big moments. Sometimes we get so lost in our own struggles or accomplishments that we don’t take time to realize what makes us better around home. What does make us better? I’ve always believed it’s the level of competition by which we are surrounded. In reading this, please do not take offense if I left you out. It’s not because I purposely did it. Instead, there were so many people who did things that impressed me, I’m sure I failed to see or remember many of them. I encourage you to sit back and enjoy reading about people from our region whom you may have overlooked along the way this year. 

  Although many of us didn’t attend the Lancaster Archery Classic, many others did. Some got the first-time jitters and the experience they gained will surely help them in the future. The Lancaster format can be incredibly rewarding at times, but at other times, it can take your confidence and destroy it when you shoot a great round but just can’t find the 11-ring. 

  Practicing with Jeff Wagoner throughout the early winter, I knew he was well prepared when he headed to the tournament and shared a room with Rob LeLacheur. Well, both Rob and Jeff laid it down at the tournament. Rob made his way into the cut in the largest class of the tournament and gave it everything he had, getting bounced by a friend and another great shooter from our region Jay Krampitz. You win some, and you lose some.

  Wagoner couldn’t let Rob get all the notoriety, so he came out and performed at the same level as his practice rounds, qualifying in the number 4 spot in Senior Pro. Unfortunately, he was eliminated by one of the best to have played this game, George Ryals, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Jeff would go on to shoot some more stellar indoor rounds throughout the winter, and he found himself near the top of the leaderboard at the IBO World Championship after the first day of the event. Although he struggled a little on the second day, his strong showing the first day will carry him into next year, at which time he will decide if he wants to pursue opportunities in the ASA or stick to the IBO. Great job, Jeff. We are all proud of you and love watching your cool cucumber attitude on the line. Can’t wait to see what next year brings.  

  Moving into spring, I held the annual Mead Spring Challenge for my friends to get a taste of what would be in front of them in the coming months at national and regional events. I do this every spring to get everyone’s feet wet and help them realize their shortcomings and find areas to spend their time to improve. 

  We spread the crowd between two days due to the miserable weather on one of the days. I had the pleasure of shooting with Cole Bromley and Jake LaFontaine, as Cole was getting a look at what he would be seeing with his jump to the Semi-pro class this year. We had a good day in the misty rain, and everyone came off the course with things to work on. 

  Less than a month later, Jake was standing on the podium at the first leg of the IBO National Triple Crown in West Virginia. He was on the podium two times, as he captured a third-place finish in BBO for the 3D and a second-place finish for the Field. Jake would go on to struggle a little bit in the Second Leg, but he finished off the season in strong fashion, securing a top 10 finish at the third leg before going on to learn he was the first guy out of the shoot-off at the IBO World Championship. Great job this year Jake. It was nice to see you rebound after the Second Leg and get back to the top. Your experience this year in many different situations should help you grow. I look forward to following your journey to the top. Don’t ever let the finish at the World discourage you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been the guy who was on the bubble, only to find out I was the first guy on the outside of the cut line.

  Cole would leave the Mead Challenge with a few things on his mind, and he quickly got himself into a different bow that seemed to work a little better for his shooting style. He went to the first leg and had two days of solid shooting. He finished two places away from cutting a check. Cutting a check at any national event is a tough task to accomplish, and he almost did it in his first event in SPM. He had the normal growing pains the rest of the year and gained a lot of experience along the way. His investments should help him in his pursuit of consistent top finishes in the future. Great job, Cole. It’s always a pleasure to be around you. Work on getting your bow-arm shoulder down and hold the bow with your bones instead of muscles. That should help steady your sight picture up a little bit. 

  Jeremy Flagg, Joe Ricard and Ron Sargent also made the trip to the Mead Challenge if I remember correctly. I’m positive all three of them came last year, and I’m pretty sure they all made it this year, but I could be wrong. However, I know how they all fared this year, and their showing should make X-Spot Archery proud. 

  Although Jeremy decided to take a step back and not attend any national events this year, Joe and Ron chased the elusive success on the tournament trail – and found it.  With Jeremy sticking close to home, I believe he was able to secure the IBO Northeast Triple Crown Champion title in Semi-pro. Great job, Jeremy. I guess that made your decision to move into a different class this year worth it. If you ever put the time into competitive archery that you do into fishing, you would be a world-class shooter.

  Joe and Ron both decided to move into MBO this year to test their skills against some of the best archers in the country. Deciding to concentrate their efforts on IBO tournaments, they also found themselves in the top peer group for the final leg of the IBO Northeast Triple Crown. Although they came up a little short in that one, the experience they gained should serve them well in the future. 

  Joe was a model of consistency this year, as he hovered around that even mark most of the summer, and it made him realize that the difference in winning and losing usually comes down to one or two shots in every tournament. He secured a top 10 finish at the second leg of the IBO National Triple Crown, which, combined with his score from the first leg, allowed him to get a letter in the mail telling him he had made peer groups for the final leg. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to attend due to family obligations. Joe is a family guy first and foremost, and we should all follow his lead. Joe also cashed his first check from a national event this summer. Way to go, Joe! Your decision to move up a class proved to be the correct decision.

  I’ve often noticed over the years that having good shooting partners and traveling partners is essential. The people with whom we surround ourselves will ultimately determine our successes and our failures. Misery loves company. If you hang out with negative people and focus on the negative, you will see negative results. If you hang out with positive people, you only focus on the positive even in the worst of times. Positivity will lead to positive results. Let the bad go and give it no attention and focus on the positive. 

  Ron Sargent travels with Joe most of the time, and Ron proved that he made the right decision too. Ron’s year began at the base camp with many other people at the base of Mt. Everest. He struggled a little bit in the early going, but he gained momentum as he picked his way toward the top of the mountain. Then, he achieved what we all seek: a podium finish at a national event. At the third leg of the IBO National Triple Crown in Ohio, he tried his hand at the field event and found himself in second place after the dust settled. He beat some stout shooters in the process. 

  Ron didn’t stop there, either. He built upon that success and shot his highest score of the year for a national event at the IBO World Championship, missing the cut by a few shots. Great job, Ron. It was fun to watch you climb the mountain this year. 

  Massachusetts has always produced great 3D shooters, and Chris Hartley proved that to be true, too. Hartley decided to travel to the IBO National Triple Crown with Jake and Cole this year, and his decision proved to be a good one. In the three legs, he never finished out of the top 15 in BBO, and he gave himself a chance to podium at every event. Consistency is the key in this game, and Chris proved he can play at the highest level. He ended up finishing in 5^th place overall in the National Triple Crown and missed podiuming by two points… one shot over the course of three events. That’s impressive. Although the World Championship didn’t pan out the way he had planned, he learned a few valuable things on his ride home with Barry Gates, and I expect he will work on those things and come back even stronger next year. Unlike many people, he has found the secret to success and never knew what he was missing in the past. Once he unlocks this secret, he will be one to reckon with next year. Great job, Chris. I’m always happy to help people who are willing to listen and learn, and Chris is that guy. We also can’t forget Barry. Barry had his best performance ever at the Worlds this year, and I expect Barry to improve next year. He has been accumulating a lot of tools for his tool belt, and he finally learned that you must pay attention to the small tools to succeed. If you’re a carpenter, you need to learn how to use a hammer before you jump to a nail gun. Barry has all the right tools now. 

  It wouldn’t be fair to leave out the man from Massachusetts who puts a smile on everyone’s face. This guy found a way to crawl out of the depths of hell and find his way to a better life a few years back.  After dangling from the edge of a cliff for a long time, his strength kept him from falling. Eventually, his fingertips began to sting and burn, but he pulled himself to the summit and found a new life in archery.  Finding his way to the light, he put his fingertips on the edge of the cliff and muscled his way to the summit – the Pro Hunter class, the Mount Everest for pin shooters.  

  He struggled his way through the early part of the season before finding his way in the last two events. Rob would go into the shootdown round in first place at the Third Leg, where he encountered something he had never encountered in the past: debilitating nerves. Nerves finally got to the man who never gets nervous. I guess this goes to show people that everyone gets nervous. After a train-wreck in the shootdown, Rob new he would have to work on this area before next year. 

  After getting a taste at the highest level a pin shooter can shoot at, he wanted more to eat. That’s when he buckled his chinstrap and headed to the IBO World, where he would find his way into the shootdown once again. He came out where he went in and will use the experience to help him next year. Rob shot in five national events this year between 3Ds and dot shooting, and he found himself in the shootdown three times… 60% of the time. There aren’t many shooters out there who can claim that kind of success at the national level. Rob also never finished out of the top 10 in the 3D season at national events. He even got a new nickname, Boston Rob, from Darrin Christenberry, as he went out of his way to help Erin McGladdery with a car problem at the third leg. I look forward to what’s in Boston Rob’s future. The last few years have been eye-opening while watching from afar. I even thought my eyeballs were going to pop out of my head a few times with what I saw, but he still finds a way to get it done. He works while others hunt, and he’s in the shop while others sleep. Now, stop hammering that thing like the button they hammer on the “Family Feud” game show and get it done… slow and easy. Robbie is also the only guy I know who wouldn't let the 75-year-old leader of the pack win in the Bowhunter Defense Shootoff... he even talked shit to him. See below.

    When I got into competitive archery, there was one guy whom I always chased. That guy was Wade Chandler. He had a lot of experience, and he was in the hunt at every big shoot. I wanted to be like him.

  As years passed, Wade became my traveling partner, and we experienced many highs and lows together before he had to center his attention on raising his kids. During the last few years, Wade decided to get back into archery, and has made his way back to the leaderboard. Wade never gets the attention most others get, but he has been at the top for almost 40 years. That’s pretty impressive.

  At the beginning of this year, Wade was talked into shooting on a team in MSR. I tried convincing him to shoot in MCBH, which is a class for people who are 60 and up. However, he decided to be a good person and shoot on the MSR team, even though he’s 60.

  He shot well at the First Leg of the National Triple Crown and would’ve been in the top three if he had signed up in MCBH. Then, the shit hit the fan when the person who convinced him to shoot on the team decided he wasn’t going to anymore shoots. This allowed Wade to enter the other class for the rest of the year, and he earned two podium finishes in the next two legs. If he had been in the class the entire year, he would have found himself on the podium for the overall. I guess he’s still got game. Wade, it has been a pleasure to watch you for the last 30 years, and it was even sweeter to see you get back to the top. Great job this year. It was impressive to watch. 

  It has always been a pleasure to watch Sara Kay, but I’ve never seen her perform the way she performed this year. Since I wrote the article about her Triple Crown win, there’s not much more I can say… except that she put the icing on the cake when she went out and won the IBO World Championship a month later. She won the tournament the same way she won the Triple Crown: in a one-arrow shoot-off. Sara’s game went next-level this year about halfway into the season. Her confidence increased, and she began to believe in her ability. When an archer believes in his/her ability, great things can happen. Sara, you’re an inspiration to all of us, and I’m glad you found success this year after seeing how the year started. Great job!!

  Tyler Thygesen never ceases to amaze me. Some great shooters from Vermont have found success at the national level, and Tyler seems to be the guy who is finding his way around the ranges quite well the last few years. 

  When Tyler jumped into the Semi-pro class this year, he experienced a few growing pains, but he used each event as a lesson. The growing he went through led him to the IBO World Championship, where he laid it down. He made his way through the first two days and found himself in the shoot-off. Nerves jumped on his back during the first few targets of the final round, but he found a way to navigate them and finished on the podium with a 3^rd place finish. He put in a lot of hard work this year and earned a place at the top with all the other phenomenal Semi-pro shooters who have come out of New England. Our region has always done well in that class, and it speaks volumes about the competition we all face when shooting at home. Great job, Tyler. It was a pleasure to watch you and root for you. Tribal Archery did well when they decided to let you represent them. A shop could never ask for a better guy. 

  Tyler wasn’t he only Vermonter who found success at the IBO World. The Steves family traveled to the IBO World, and Sarah brought her practice rounds to the event. She stayed strong from start to finish and qualified to shoot in the final round. She picked her way through the targets and came up just two points shy of a podium finish, cutting her first check at a national event. Sarah did a great job when she was put in an unfamiliar position. She put her head down, shot her bow and concentrated on the process. Great job this year, Sarah. We hope to follow your continued success. 

  Shane Blackmer was yet another Vermonter who saw some success at the national level. He thought he would try the IBO nationals this year, and he progressed throughout the year. He wanted to get a taste for unmarked yardage and see what he could do. Well, he did quite well. When he got to the Third Leg, he was coming into full stride. He left Ohio with an 8^th place finish, only one point from a top five. He also cut his first national check at the event. Great job this season, Shane. The sky is the limit for you if you can find the time to put into doing your thing. 

  The Thompsons were excited when the IBO announced the new husband and wife team category this year. They figured they would have a good shot, so they asked, “Where do we sign up? We are ready!” … and ready they were. They stayed strong and steady throughout the season and showed up to the dance. When all the dancers were judged, they climbed into first place at the final event and won the Triple Crown as a team. While personal accomplishments are great, there’s something about winning team events that stands out. It means both partners had to pull their weight and get it done. When one isn’t doing the best, the other must carry that person. Good teammates are hard to find, and great teammates are even harder to find. Angee had two top 5 finishes in the three legs, and Jon had one top 5. That means there were a lot of good drives back to New Hampshire. It’s always fun to talk about our success on the way home. Great job, you two. Nobody can ever take away the fact that you guys made history, winning the inaugural husband and wife team event. 

  The Thompsons weren’t the only residents of New Hampshire who impressed me. I’ve watched Walter Muzzey work harder than most the last few years. Unfortunately, Wally doesn’t get the opportunity that many of us get. Instead, he must try to make good on one national appearance a year: the IBO World. This is always a difficult task. Everything must go right for one weekend, and you simply don’t have a lot of experience to draw from. Experience will help anyone, and the more of it you get, the better off you will be. Eventually, you can understand certain situations you encounter and find ways to navigate. Anyhow, Wally finished in 7^th place at the IBO World. This is his best finish so far, and he barely missed the cut. Great job, Wally. It was good to see your work coming out on the biggest stage. Keep pushing and you will surely get to where you want to go. Just remember… no expectations… just shoot your bow. 

  In all my years of shooting, the Maineiacs have never disappointed. It seems like every shooter who comes from Maine is always at the top of the pack of whatever class they shoot. This speaks volumes about passing down the tradition. Maine probably doesn’t have as many shooters as all the other New England states, but the shooters who go to nationals are some of the best ones in the country. 

  This year proved no different. John Libby and John “Easy Rider” Freeman both made the cut at the IBO Worlds in MCBH, with Libby finishing in third and Freeman finishing in fifth. That’s a tough task to beat. Many shooters in that class are former open pro and senior pro shooters. Freeman started off the year with an appearance on the stage at the Lancaster Archery Classic and finished it with an appearance in the final shoot-down round of the IBO World. Congratulations. It’s always fun to watch you guys shoot. 

John "Easy Rider" Freeman

  The young guys from Maine respect their elders, but they wanted to show everyone the youngsters from the north country have some game too. The Rienhardt boys both came home as World Champions. Willis beat all the other shooters in his age group, and Payson bested all the shooters in BBO, an adult class that houses some phenomenal shooters. This will not be the last time you see the boys do something special with bows in their hands. They both have the ability to go a long way in competitive archery if that’s what they choose to do when they get older. Only time will tell where their interests lie as they get older, but I hope I’m sitting back and cheering them like I’ve cheered on so many other Maineiacs. Great job, guys. It’s always a pleasure to hear people talk about you. Your parents have done and amazing job with you. 

  Going back to the Mead Spring Challenge, a group of shooters from Bullseye Jim’s archery shop in East Greenbush came up to shoot, too. Although Tyler Salisbury didn’t make it, Jimmy Gagnon and Kendal Gibbons came up to try their hand at it. 

  All these guys travel together, and all of them had at least one shoot in which they finished in the top 2. That’s impressive since they all come out of the same shop. Tyler won the third leg. Kendal had a second and a third in two of the three legs, and he made the cut at the World. He also won the National Triple Crown in the Hunter Class, never shooting under a 400 the entire year at a national. Even ol’ Jimmy Joe brought his game to the third leg, finishing in second place. Congratulations to all of you for a fantastic run this year. I look forward to watching you guys do it again next year, and I wish Kendal luck in whatever new class he enters. As I’ve told everyone over the years, if you can win in one class, you can win in any class. 

  Last but not least, is Jacob Slusarz. I’m sure many of you found yourselves cheering him on when you were watching the live Illinois ASA shootdown. He was clearly an underdog, but within a few weeks, he was suddenly recognized by many as the new sheriff in town. We watched him take down two of the best who have ever played the 3D game, and he beat them at their best. The 3D season is a blur, and it’s easy to get lost in everything that happens from the beginning of the season until the end, but I got a front row seat to a lot of it. Jacob made the shootdown in three of the four IBO events and won the third one in convincing fashion. He attended three ASAs and won the one in the middle. He learned a lot at the Classic, and I expect you will see that he will take that experience and better himself next year. Although he made all those 3D shootdowns, he also made the shoot-off at Vegas and the NFAA Indoor Nationals. If you take a step back and look at that year, it’s beyond amazing. Sometimes I think people in our region might take his talent for granted. It’s not often that you can participate in the same tournaments as a professional shooter like this in any region. We should all feel fortunate for what we get to witness week in and week out, whether it’s at a local shoot, a practice round somewhere, or at a team shoot. You’re witnessing world-class talent. I would encourage all of you to soak it in and enjoy the experience. A shooter like this represents our region and puts it on the map. Congratulations, Jacob, on one hell of a year. We look forward to watching you in the future and cheering you on.

  I’m sure I left a bunch of people out, but those are the ones who came to mind first because I spend the most time around those individuals. Spending a lot of time with many of you, it’s easy to remember what you’re doing. I’m proud of all of you and the decision you all made to chase your dreams at national events. There’s nothing quite like the experience you gain. I wish all of you continued success. 

  I’ll be doing my yearly wrap-up in the next few weeks after I finalize a few things I’ve been working on. Good luck in the woods and on the range.